As a newly appointed lawyer, finding clients will likely be your greatest challenge. But don’t despair: finding clients isn’t as difficult as you might expect!
Utilize multiple marketing strategies to attract leads and convert them to clients. In this article, we’ll outline some of the most successful techniques lawyers use to get clients.
1. Networking
According to RunSensible’s report, clients typically find their new attorneys via word of mouth or online searches; thus it is imperative that new lawyers make themselves visible wherever clients look for legal solutions.
Lawyers can start networking by attending group events or forums that focus on their niche, seminars or lectures that establish them as legal experts and creating websites to showcase services and expertise offered by their firm.
Lawyers can build their practice’s reputation by seeking referrals. This may involve asking clients who were pleased with the services provided directly for recommendations; as well as using social media such as LinkedIn and Facebook to promote themselves. They could even host events themselves such as workshops about legal matters or community gatherings to attract potential new clients.
2. Ask for Referrals
Although networking has shifted online, attending local events that allow you to meet potential clients and referral sources remains crucial. No matter if you specialize in personal injury law or corporate law; face-to-face interactions create powerful bonds which generate referrals over time. Join discussion panels or seminars locally as an additional way of meeting prospects who may require your services.
Utilizing a personalized approach, ask current or past clients for referrals. This can be done either face-to-face or over the phone and is an effective way to generate quality leads.
By offering incentives to clients who refer you new business, an effective strategy can be to reward their efforts with discounts or gift cards. Furthermore, referral requests could be integrated into customer journeys such as printed brochures and newsletters to add an incentive and provide exceptional client experiences by treating all clients with respect, open communication, and professionalism.
3. Build a Website
A lawyer’s website establishes their credibility and fosters client trust. Clients make major life-altering decisions, so it’s crucial that the attorney they select has both knowledge and experience to effectively handle their case. By providing relevant articles, educational resources, testimonials, and awards on practice areas of law firms they represent, lawyers can position themselves as expert sources and gain client confidence.
Content on a lawyer’s website should be of high-quality and easily understood by prospective clients, with an easy call-to-action that resonates with potential leads. Confusion from legal jargon won’t do them any favors and can turn potential leads away from engaging. RunSensible’s AI-powered website builder makes the task of building such websites fast and effortless, and using plugins like contact forms and meeting schedulers allows lawyers to connect directly with prospective leads.
4. Social Media
Social media offers attorneys an effective platform to raise brand recognition and engage their target audience. Social media also gives lawyers a great way to showcase client success stories while answering frequently asked questions from potential clients. A recent study demonstrated how consumers want to feel secure about the lawyer they select, making social media reviews invaluable tools in providing such confidence-boosting support.
Legal professionals can leverage social media to establish themselves as experts in their fields by sharing teaser snippets of informative articles on their blogs or practice area pages. Although ethics prohibit them from claiming to be experts in every area, legal professionals can still use social media to point followers towards helpful resources or experienced lawyers for specific legal inquiries.
Social media posts don’t need to be complicated or extravagant in order to provide value. Simply posting pictures of staff members or an event can create a sense of humanity that draws in an audience and can make your firm more approachable.